Dolphin deaths linked to choking

Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute in San Diego has unexpectedly found that 14 bottlenose dolphins choked to death by ingesting strong-spines fish, or on fishing line, in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon over a 15-year period.

The finding surprised researchers because it is rare for dolphins to suffer asphyxiation.

In a statement, Hubbs researcher Megan Stolen said, “This is the first study documenting a statistically significant number of dolphin deaths caused by choking. “

Hubbs, working with SeaWorld, plans to look more broadly at all cause of dolphin deaths in the lagoon, which the institute has been studying since the late 1980s.